Your grandma should be using AI. Really.
A staffer to a member of Congress recently asked me, “How much are elderly Americans using AI?”
My rapid answer? Not enough.
The longer answer: AI can meaningfully improve both the quality of life of older Americans and the support systems that surround them—and policymakers are leaving that potential on the table.
As it stands, a large fraction of older Americans are missing out on the AI wave. More than 50 percent of the Silent Generation (1928–1945) report that they have never used AI. The same is true of 39 percent of Boomers (1946–1964). They’ve yet to see if it can help them write an email to their doctor, research a proposed change to the city charter, or create a funny image to send to a friend.
